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Operation Golden Garden 2014: Let's Get Started!

**Instead of starting an entirely new GLOG, I decided to tack 2014 on to the end of this one. So if you have already went through 2013's grow, just jump ahead to page 40.**
 
Before you go on, I would recommend you grab a beer or something else stiff to drink.  If you didnt follow my grow last time around, I have the tendency to go on, and on, and on, and on.  Also, I may not be the most "PC" out of the group, so if you are looking for clean language, on topic discussion, and general 'niceness', I am sure that I can point you in the right direction.
 
Ok, now that we got that out of the way....I AM STARTING A FREAKIN GROW LOG!  A quick bit of back story. Since I spent more time in high school partying than studying, I didn't have much of a choice following graduation. I decided to enlist in the Marines (there really isnt another choice) and now here I am 8 years and 5 deployments later.  This last go around I left the first few days of September and just got back yesterday (9 months for all the other 'non studying' folk).  As most of you know, if you want some bangin pepper plants, you need to start early, and May 25th aint early.  So right before I left I cut everything back and prayed to the pepper gods that my plants would make it through winter so I could have something to come home to.  Up until yesterday I thought that they were just taking time to put on some green, but when I walked through the fence to see my dogs, a ritual that I typically do after every deployment, I realized that the plants were not there and instead was four trays of new plants just waiting for planting.
 
Note:  IPhones are not the world's leading video recording devices.  And as a result, I may not be easily heard.  Dont worry, I didn't have much to say initially anyways, I was just a bit more surprised than anything.
 

 
For someone who seems to always talk a bit too much, I didnt have much to say initially.  I was freaking out inside and didnt know if my wife got them or what.  When she told me that the guys from THP did it, i was blown away.  You gotta understand, over the past 9 months Bill (RocketMan) organized a "Operation Hot Sauce" care package rotation for me and my guys.  A bunch of members here chipped in and sent packages of sauces, powders, peppers, and other treats to help make this deployment a bit more enjoyable.  To hear that they ALSO chipped in and GAVE ME A GROWING SEASON pretty much put me over the edge.  I know that I already messaged you guys but I wanna thank RocketMan, Coheed196, Romy6, KingDenniz, Silver_Surfer, STC3248, DesertChris, Sanarda, MuskyMojo, Pulpeteer, WalkGood, DocNRock. Stickman, Annie57, Pic 1, Pr0digal_Son, Jamison, Spicy Chicken, HighHalt, Fremp, SethSquach, 3/5 King, Patrick, Bigoldude again for helping make this happen for me.  And although giving me a garden was WAY MORE THAN ENOUGH, they also gave me a little sumpin sumpin that will help out picking up the last minute things that I need to make sure I have everything I need for the season!
 
So this morning, I got up early because I am still on Afghanistan time, cooked breakfast, and then after the family ate we went out to the garden to plant everything. 
 

 
 
The Peppers:
7 Pot
7 Pot Douglah
7 Pot Yellow
Aji Colorado
Bhut Jolokia
Bhut Jolokia Assam
Bhut Jolokia Yellow
Bonda ma Jaques
Cobra
Congo Trinidad
Fatalii
Jamaican Hot Chocolate
Lemon Drop
Marconi Giant Hybrid
TSMB 
TSMB Yellow
Naga Morich
Safi Red
Trinidad Scorpion
West Indian Red
 
Maters:
Black Krim
Black Pear
 
Oh, and did I tell you that THERE ARE 3 EACH?!?
 
Gettin to work tilling the rows a bit


 
The wife givin me a hand

 
The kiddo givin me a hand

 
Rows Complete

 
And Peppers in the ground!

 
Some goodies from Bill, Jeff and Bonnie (Bill also has goodies in the fridge :cheers:)

 
Parting Shot

 
 
Matt,
Your garden is sweet ! You didn't miss a beat getting things up and running. Nice mix of supplies. I've used the #4 mix indoors before. The only thing I'll say is that it seems to have more lime in it than I'd like. Probably not the best mix for seedlings but for pot ups , container growing or to mix into the bed planting hole works out nicely. Have fun with the rest of the startup/plant-out
 
DocNrock said:
Thanks for the update, Matt.  Don't you just love it when baby pods hint at the desired phenotype right out of the gate?  TSMB and TSMB yellow looking like they're on the right path in life.  The other pods are looking fine, too.  Especially the 7 Pot and the Douglah. 
 
Those smoked chiles look wicked good.  I personally love the smell of smoked chile powder, and the flavor is out of this world.  I have no shortage of powder, but those look like some sort of red super, perhaps Brains?   Regardless, they look awesome...perfectly smoked. 
 
Love the "Kitchen Sink" powder.  The color looks great.  Chiles are just perfect for powdering.  They get preserved, and take up so much less space than fresh, frozen, or even dehydrated prior to grinding.  You'll have that jar full by the end of the season!  I just started using the silica gel packets this year.  Hoping they will keep the powders from getting clumpy. 
 
Those stacked enchiladas look fantastic.  Golden eating at the Golden household right there!
Thanks Brent, it is always a relief to get the right pods popping out of your plant!  I too love the smoked powders, it is hard not smoking all of them, but I do wanna have an even spread....lol.  But I will say that the Kitchen Sink did turn out pretty gnarly. 
 
GA Growhead said:
yummmm! enchiladas!
Nice pod shots!
Won't be long, some of those are pretty big already!
Thanks!  Yea, they were just as good a day later!  I seriously underestimated the amount of food I cooked...AGAIN! 
 
laynlow said:
Everything's looking good in the garden.  Kitchen sink dust looks great!
Thanks!
 
WalkGood said:
Wow things looking great, hope you mashed up dat hornworm :D
Thanks Ramon!  Of course, that hornworm got what was coming to it!!
 
Seacowboy said:
Sounds like you got a damn good plan going.  What kind of pots or pouches are you going with?
Yea, I hope so!  I took a video today, but Im having problems with youtube right now.  I am using 1/2 gal grow bags for the first pot up, and then I will go with 3 gal for the remainder of my season.  If I had a whole season I would go 1/2 gal grow bag then the 5 gal grow bag.  I have tried the air pots, root pouches, and traditional plastic nursery pots, and now I wanna give the bags a shot.  I am still new to this stuff and I am feeling everything out. 
 
stickman said:
That's quite a project Matt, and you jumped right in. Inquiring minds want to know, so I'll be following to see how it works for you. I'm also a little OCD, so I understand "The Look" from the other half too... ;)
Yea, my original intent was to go with 1 bale promix, 1 bag compost, and pearlite, but after talking to the hydro store and more research, I went with a different route.  Even if all the amendments don't give me 100ft peppers, it should do wonders for my plot next season.  All the containers will get recycled into my plot.  Plus, this recipe is just begging for activation through AACT.  Hopefully it all works out for me, and if not at least we will know!
 
PIC 1 said:
Matt,
Your garden is sweet ! You didn't miss a beat getting things up and running. Nice mix of supplies. I've used the #4 mix indoors before. The only thing I'll say is that it seems to have more lime in it than I'd like. Probably not the best mix for seedlings but for pot ups , container growing or to mix into the bed planting hole works out nicely. Have fun with the rest of the startup/plant-out
Thanks Greg!  I am looking forward to giving it a shot, so far I like the texture and the amendments should balance the ph.  I am looking forward to seeing how it performs for me. 
 
RocketMan said:
Nice, and that bottle in the back on the Right looks like the perfect combination for it too!
 
:cool:
 
lol.  Yea, it is pretty much a staple.
 
Devv said:
Will be watching your soil mix to see how it comes out!
 
Call me "Dirt Boy" potted growing is totally new to me...so far no deaths..LOL
Thanks man, moving away from the set it and forget it of in ground soil is definitely interesting!
 
Well all I mixed up my soil today and potted up the babies.  I had to do a lot of math, and my head hurt.  I took the original recipe, reduced it to 1/10 (I was planning of 10 gallons of supersoil).  I am gonna follow the recipe and let it cook for 30 days, which should give me enough time to jump the seedlings from seedlings to plants.  I potted them up into 1/2 gallon grow bags with a mix of 80% sunshine, 20% EWC, and pearlite.  Ill feed with AACT and Myco, which will innoculate the roots, get a nice little ecosystem building in the soil, and then when they are ready to move up and the super soil is ready, Ill plant them in 3 gallon pots, the bottom gallon supersoil, a buffer of SS/EWC/Pearlite, and then the 1 gallon plant.  Sounds complicated, but I guess that is who I am....lol. 
 
Sunshine out of the bag

 
This pearlite is boss.  It isn't dust like the other crap they sell, it will definitely lighten up your soil.

 
Amendments

 
And Mixed

 
Thanks all, the wife is giving me that "really....you are STILL on there" look.
 
Finally able to catch up - this glog is one of many that got away from me.  I've been reading for the past.. well forever just to get caught up.  Awesome stuff going on here. However...
I read that you're getting calf implants. Ok, whatever... then nope, just a joke.  Because apparently you already have great calves.  So I'm thinking, "at some point we'll get a picture of Matt's chiseled calves and we will all be in awe," but nope. Pictures of plants, of dirt, of bags of dirt, one picture of you sitting in a chair with your calves hidden behind your shins.  I call bull crap.
 
Plants are looking great, btw, and I'm loving all the projects you've got going on.  Great to have you back!
 
DocNrock said:
That #4 is great stuff.  That is what pretty much all of my plants are in.  A few are in #1/#4 mix.  It drains very well, as is.
Thanks Doc, I like the look and feel, and it expands into craziness!  I am sure that it will work out great for me and the EWC will just boost it into awesomeness!
 
WalkGood said:
Soil looks great ...
Thanks Ramon!
 
Pulpiteer said:
Finally able to catch up - this glog is one of many that got away from me.  I've been reading for the past.. well forever just to get caught up.  Awesome stuff going on here. However...
I read that you're getting calf implants. Ok, whatever... then nope, just a joke.  Because apparently you already have great calves.  So I'm thinking, "at some point we'll get a picture of Matt's chiseled calves and we will all be in awe," but nope. Pictures of plants, of dirt, of bags of dirt, one picture of you sitting in a chair with your calves hidden behind your shins.  I call bull crap.
 
Plants are looking great, btw, and I'm loving all the projects you've got going on.  Great to have you back!
LOL, I know how that feels Andy, you miss reading one for a few days, then a week, and then....like 12 pages back!  I am glad you stopped back in, and I hope you are getting some sleep! 
 
Also, you may be lucky enough to see my gorgeous calves before the season's end.... :)
 
Matt the mad scientist! Haha! I will be in Raleigh tonight and fly out tomorrow...ahhh, back to the plants! Lookin good brother, hard to believe how far they've come in such a short time.
 
stc3248 said:
Matt the mad scientist! Haha! I will be in Raleigh tonight and fly out tomorrow...ahhh, back to the plants! Lookin good brother, hard to believe how far they've come in such a short time.
 
LOL.  Yea, I kinda felt like a bit of a mad scientist figuring out all those amendments and stuff, but now I get to just wait and see.  Safe travels and I can't wait to see the update when you get back!
 
So tonight the plants got fed with some AACT, something I have been planning on giving them for a while.  The weather hasn't been cooperating, but they needed it.  We are supposed to get hit with some rain again for a few days, so I decided to give them a feeding before the sky opened back up.  This way the rain will push the bacteria into the ground and it should marry up with the roots and stuff.  Also, I spread some EWC, which the rain should work into the soil and give me a quick N boost. 
 
I diluted 1:5 and the left bucket is the mother, the right is the diluted mix.  I aerate the water from the hose for a few minutes minimum to dissipate the chlorine, then mix in the concentrated AACT and let it go for another few. 

 
And now we can forget the science and measurements and get back to why we are here....POD PORN!
TSMB Red is looking great. Really nice shape on this one so I am keepin my fingers crossed it will continue to produce these.

 
Scorpions.  I am looking forward to these because I would like to see how they compare to the TSMBs.  There is a much different shape, but heat and taste is what I am looking to compare. 

 
All 3 of my Assams are putting out tons of pods.  Can't wait for a few to start turning!

 
A bit of a more elongated TSMB Yellow

 
Bhut Jolokia Yellow

 
Two of the three 7 Pot plants have about a half dozen pods hanging pods!

 
This 7 Yellow is looking great, if it continues to put out pods like this I would not be disappointed!

 
This one is a bit more spastic.  Interesting nonetheless.

 
This congo trinidad yellow has a pretty cool pod shape, bonnet like almost. 

 
Can I get a bump?? Got 3 more.
 
Thank ya sir!
 
Does anyone else's Lemon Drop/Aji pods turn purple like this??


West Indian Red


Safi Red


And the baby row!  These guys got a healthy dose of AACT tonight as well, they should be nice and happy!

 
 
Alrighty, thats it for this edition.  Thanks for stoppin in!!
 
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